Visitors to Cape Lookout National Seashore contribute to local economy

Monday

Mar 17, 2014 at 12:01 AMMar 17, 2014 at 10:29 AM

As spring nears so does the annual influx of visitors to one of the area’s favorite destinations.

JANNETTE PIPPIN - Daily News Staff

HARKERS ISLAND – As spring nears so does the annual influx of visitors to one of the area’s favorite destinations.

While stopping at Cape Lookout National Seashores, they will climb Cape Lookout Lighthouse, watch for the wild horses that roam Shackleford Banks and fish and comb the unspoiled barrier island beaches for seashells.

During their visit, many will also shop at local businesses, dine at local restaurants and stay a night or two at area hotels and vacation rentals.

According to a new National Park Service report, more than 480,000 people visited Cape Lookout National Seashore in 2012, spending $20.9 million in the area during their stay.

“Park visitation generated more than $20 million in spending, from food to various services, and that’s a lot of money going into the community,” said Cape Lookout National Seashore Superintendent Pat Kenney.

That visitor spending supported 297 jobs in local communities surrounding the park.

“For every dollar invested, the National Park Service returns $10 to the United States economy. That’s a pretty good return on investment,” Kenney said.

While the report cites 2012 visitation number, Kenney said they are always working to increase visitation to the seashore.

As the peak of the tourism season approaches in Eastern North Carolina, Kenney said they are hopeful that the new “gateway” facility on the Beaufort waterfront will help increase awareness of the park. The facility, which will include a new passenger ferry service to the seashore as well as exhibits and park information, is expected to open in April.

“One of the critical things about the gateway is it will help heighten people’s awareness of the National Park Service being in this community,” Kenney said.

And Cape Lookout is not alone.

The National Park Service presence in North Carolina also includes Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Guilford Courthouse National Military Park, Moores Creek National Battlefield, Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, Wright Brothers National Memorial, Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site and portions of Blue Ridge Parkway and Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The report shows that visitors to national parks in North Carolina spent $1.11 billion and supported 16,703 jobs in North Carolina in 2012.

The visitor spending analysis was conducted by U.S. Geological Survey economists for the park service.

Overall, the report indicated that there was $14.7 billion in direct spending by 283 million park visitors in communities within 60 miles of a national park. The spending supported 243,000 jobs nationally, with 201,000 jobs found in the gateway communities, and had a cumulative benefit to the United State economy of $26.75 billion, the report said.

Most visitor spending supports jobs in restaurants, grocery and convenience stores, lodging and other amusements and recreation sites.

To view the full report online, visit nature.nps.gov/socialscience/economics.cfm.